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Sessions Impact on Marijuana Business Owners

Sessions new stance allows federal prosecutors to enforce federal law prohibiting growing, sales and distribution of cannabis. The Obama-era Cole Memo allowed states to make decisions on legal cannabis, without federal intervention or prosecution of cannabis businesses.

Cannabis industry leaders, who long anticipated prohibitive action from Sessions, are prepared for what’s ahead.

Investor confidence in the cannabis industry will be affected, said Avis Bulbulyan, CEO of SIVA Enterprises. “By far, the biggest impact and hit will be to investor confidence. This will probably slow down some of the money that’s been rolling in, at least for the immediate future, but understanding how far the industry has come, and understanding that it’s highly unlikely the industry is going to be shut down, this could be a great opportunity for investors to really get more bang for their buck. It’s going to come down to risk tolerance levels.”

“GrowLife is a public company that sells supplies and equipment for indoor cultivation where its customers range from food to legal Cannabis farmers. We intend to stand by our customers, the US States and their governors who have used the election process to put a compliant process that helps and protects its citizens. As the Cannabis industry fully supports these compliance laws, I expect that the White House Administration will also learn to support these laws and the industry, which is diminishing the Black Market for Cannabis and its predatory actions.”

“Earlier last year, there was talk that MJ was going to be held as a bargaining chip against states for negotiation on immigration issues. This could very well be intended as a distraction for the administration to keep people focused on this while a different agenda item is pushed along. Reality is that cannabis has tremendous support across the country regardless of party affiliation, and has a higher approval rating than the administration, really any prior administration and it’s probably going to take a whole lot more than nixing the Cole memo to shut it down.”

“This is unfortunate for the cannabis industry, especially with the biggest cannabis market California going recreational this week. This is going to reduce investment money, interest, and cut back spending within the cannabis industry as well. The clear goal of the administration is to slow down the progress of the cannabis industry in any form, and this is a clear shot at California, Colorado, Washington, and the entire industry in general.”

“For Jeff Sessions and the current administration, the War on Drugs is not over, but we’re also not done fighting to end it. This policy change does not mean a wholesale dismantling of the regulated markets that now exist in over half of US states. Now more than ever, it is of the utmost importance that we continue to support our colleagues and the organizations that are fighting for a legitimate, regulated marijuana industry and safe, legal access to cannabis medicine.”

“We have always known Jeff Sessions is anti-marijuana and while it is certainly alarming to see him take this position, I see it as having little to no impact at this stage. The 2013 Cole memo provided guidance; however, as I have consistently reminded clients, it is not law, it is not an order and it is not precedent. So while certainly something to keep an eye on, I do not think this is cause for panic. With 29 states and Washington DC having implemented some form of a medical marijuana program, to undo this industry would be like closing Pandora’s Box once it’s been opened. It would be a Herculean effort that would undermine another Republican cornerstone, which is the importance of states’ rights. I advise clients continue to focus on operating their businesses in compliance with the applicable rules and regulations and try to ignore the chaotic, political, and shock-motivated headlines which have unfortunately become the norm.”

“Jeff Sessions decision to rescind the Cole memo is abhorrent and will cause massive negative ramifications to veteran community. I say this as a proud combat veteran. Prior to becoming a medical cannabis patient, my 13-year battle with PTSD cost me my job, my home, my financial stability, and very nearly my life. That is why I am one of the six individuals suing the federal government to remove marijuana from its list of Schedule I drugs. My fear is that the hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of veterans like myself will now have to live in fear of federal reprisal. As veterans we do not ask for much from our government. In this case we are simply asking for care from our country that we proudly would have died for.”

“The marijuana business has become a sophisticated, multimillion-dollar industry that helps fund some government programs. Eight states and the District of Columbia have legalized marijuana for recreational use, and California’s sales alone are projected to bring in $1 billion annually in tax revenue within several years,” AP reports.

The Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety, a group of prosecutors and federal law enforcement officials, declined to create new policy recommendations to advance the attorney general’s aggressively anti-marijuana views in 2016. The group’s report largely reiterated the Justice Department’s standing policy on marijuana.

California and Oregon submitted reports on the results of legal cannabis in their states to Sessions’ task force in 2017. Both reported positive effects on public safety and local economies.

In December, Sessions cited the American Medical Association policy when responding to a Department of Justice intern question about the risks of legal cannabis.

Cashinbis wrote the AMA and received their most up-to-date policies on cannabis. A document from the American Medical Association House of Delegates shows that these policies have changed slightly since September 2016, when the organization resolved to scratch that the “sale of cannabis should not be legalized.”